Thursday, December 31, 2009

Sage advice, I'm sure you'll agree.

I was dreaming in my dreaming
of an aspect bright and fair
and my sleeping it was broken
but my dream it lingered near
in the form of shining valleys
where the pure air recognized
and my senses newly opened
I awakened to the cry
that the people / have the power
to redeem / the work of fools
upon the meek / the graces shower
it's decreed / the people rule

The people have the power
The people have the power
The people have the power
The people have the power

Vengeful aspects became suspect
and bending low as if to hear
and the armies ceased advancing
because the people had their ear
and the shepherds and the soldiers
lay beneath the stars
exchanging visions
and laying arms
to waste / in the dust
in the form of / shining valleys
where the pure air / recognized
and my senses / newly opened
I awakened / to the cry

Refrain

Where there were deserts
I saw fountains
like cream the waters rise
and we strolled there together
with none to laugh or criticize
and the leopard
and the lamb
lay together truly bound
I was hoping in my hoping
to recall what I had found
I was dreaming in my dreaming
god knows / a purer view
as I surrender to my sleeping
I commit my dream to you

Refrain

The power to dream / to rule
to wrestle the world from fools
it's decreed the people rule
it's decreed the people rule
LISTEN
I believe everything we dream
can come to pass through our union
we can turn the world around
we can turn the earth's revolution
we have the power
People have the power ...

This time of year also makes me stabby as I am inevitably approached by morons who ask me “are you making any New Year resolutions?” to which my reasoned response is “no, do I look like a fucking cretin”?

However, as a public service, I offer this observation.

Avoid Atavar.

It is made by James Cameron and is therefore shit.

19 comments:

Kettle said...

Ramon you're messing with my head. Is this 'Poetry Slam Thursday in the Interests of the Public Good in Avoiding Avatar in Lieu of the Ordinarily Non-Public Service-Related Poetry Slam Friday'?

Sorry, I'm just sore I've already wasted my $14 on Avatar.

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

Kettle,

It's "I'm going to be away on Friday and I can't be arsed" Poetry Slam Thursday.

I'm just sore I've already wasted my $14 on Avatar

Good Lord woman, why!?

Anonymous said...

to which my reasoned response is “no, do I look like a fucking cretin”?

Just out of curiosity, has anyone ever said that you did?

It is made by James Cameron and is therefore shit.

His career did sort of seem to peak with Terminator 2, didn't it?

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

Yes, they have Alex and my reply was pretty much as above.

His career did sort of seem to peak with Terminator 2, didn't it?

You're being charitable.

Kettle said...

Because of Terminator 2; damned hussy of a film, it keeps making me go back for more.

Puss In Boots said...

Why on earth would you be disappointed you'd spent money on Avatar? Even if you didn't like the film, the mere fact it took 14 years to make, and the technology was created for it, is reason enough to admire it.

However, I happened to think the film was great. It had shades of other films/story lines about it, but I still happened to think it was brilliant.

I'm not sure the dude in front of me in Gold Class (gift vouchers) felt the same, however. Particularly as half way through the movie I managed to spill my entire frozen Coke and half my gigantic popcorn down his back. Mortified, I was.

Kettle said...

Oh no, Puss! I once spilt a glass of red wine down a woman's back which fairly ruined the pale yellow blouse she was wearing (I also once dropped a serving spoon in the Mexican Ambassador's crotch but that's another story). I think the chap at the movies in front of you should be thankful it was you sitting behind him rather than me.

And besides, if he was resourceful he could have eaten your runaway popcorn.

Anonymous said...

Even if you didn't like the film, the mere fact it took 14 years to make, and the technology was created for it, is reason enough to admire it.

No, these are reasons to admire things in the fields of medicine, science and engineering. A movie should be admired if it makes you laugh, captures your imagination or moves you emotionally. Otherwise, it's just an overly indulgent demo-reel.

Anonymous said...

I saw Avatar in 3D today. I enjoyed it.

It's no great complex plot - soldier from mining company goes native - but then not many action films are anyway.

But, it is visually amazing, and that alone was worth the $11 admission and 3 hour timespan.

Also, Michelle Rodriguez. Hawt.

Also, I noticed the blue-skinned natives, the Na'avi, all used microwaves to cook their freshly killed lama beasts. I guess they must be essential, after all.

Anonymous said...

It's no great complex plot - soldier from mining company goes native - but then not many action films are anyway.

I'm not usually too concerned with the story in action films. Many of them don't even make much sense if you examine them too closely. My biggest beef with these kinds of movies (especially in the post Matrix era) is that many of them make a really piss-poor effort to form any kind of connection between the characters and the audience. This creates a noticeable lack of tension that can render even the most spectacular of action sequences thoroughly boring. The latest Terminator movie springs to mind as an example.

How does Avatar stack up on that level?

Anonymous said...

I found the story engaging and the characters well fleshed out enough to be sympathise with. Otherwise I wouldn't have enjoyed it too much.

Anonymous said...

So... Who worked over new year's and who did fuck all apart from their usual shit?

RandomGit said...

Avatar was the most amazing version of Pocacuntas I've ever seen.

Yes, amazing technical brillance and innovation. Yes, a plot and message so shallow kiddies wouldn't even wade through it.

But damn if the execution didn't give my brain enough scope to switch off.

I'd see it again. But only in 3D

Dr. Golf said...

James "married 5 times" Cameron

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

If I want simplistic moral messages from furry blue people, I'll watch the Smurf film.

TubularBells said...

Miranda Devine was not a fan of Avatar either. Something to do with a global left-wing conspiracy involving James Cameron, the global warming hoax and some llamas.

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

Llamas!

Those bastards!!

I knew they were involved somehow.

Mr E said...

I enjoyed it. There's nothing like watching a life and death struggle between an oppressed people and a gigantic,rich,powerful corporate enemy, while sitting a gigantic comfy layback armchair eating Peking Duck Pie and quaffing a cheeky little Yarra Valley PInot Noir.

Puts the whole thing into perspective.

Puss In Boots said...

No, these are reasons to admire things in the fields of medicine, science and engineering. A movie should be admired if it makes you laugh, captures your imagination or moves you emotionally. Otherwise, it's just an overly indulgent demo-reel.

I'm pretty sure some of the advances in technology created for this film will have spin off applications for other areas, so yes, I do think they are a reason to admire its creation.

And besides which, it did capture my imagination and move me emotionally. I thought it was amazing, all up.